This date, May first, holds special meaning for me. On May Day when I was a little girl, my mother would help me gather flowers from her garden and make nosegays in paper cones to hang on neighbors’ front doors. I was thrilled by the idea of our neighbors being surprised by the mysterious little bouquets! You may be familiar with the saying “Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” Did you know the phrase was coined by Anne Herbert, who lives in Marin County, and first wrote those words on a placemat in a Sausalito restaurant thirty years ago?

Food for Thought ~

Although kindness and beauty are not new concepts, this well-turned phrase helps us capture the spirit of generous acts of thoughtfulness and the simple power of beauty. This applies in the workplace as well as in the rest of our lives. Busy leaders often get caught up in the drama, urgency and never-ending accumulation of demands on their time and energy. And for that very reason, leaders must make conscious efforts to stay in touch with the human aspect of work. Try this experiment: think of someone that you appreciate, or perhaps a co-worker who is having a hard time or someone who doesn’t often receive recognition. Then think of a simple act of kindness that you can extend. When we experience the positive two-way impact and the beauty of kindness, it’s likely to become a habit. It doesn’t take much time to be kind.

Question for the day ~

Who would appreciate an act of kindness? What simple things can you do today to practice thoughtfulness and create beauty?

I’d love to hear about your random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty!

Mary